Season 48 (2017-2018)
Sesame Street's 48th season premiered on HBO on November 18, 2017. The season was preceded the week prior with the prime-time special, The Magical Wand Chase. Season overview The season continues applying its kindness curriculum to new material, as this season adds a focus on celebrating diversity. The season features special guest appearances by international Sesame Street characters Chamki (from Galli Galli Sim Sim) and Zuzu (from Takalani Sesame). The season introduces a new segment starring Cookie Monster, "Cookie Monster's Foodie Truck." Aided by Gonger of The Furchester Hotel, the five-minute segments introduce the origins of certain food items as the monsters cook up orders in their food truck. Matt Vogel and Eric Jacobson perform Big Bird and Oscar's voices respectively in new material for the season. This is also the last season to feature Billy Barkhurst as Ernie, with Peter Linz having taken over the role mid-2017. Production The season began production in the fall of 2016, with partial taping officially beginning on October 31, 2016Matt Vogel on Twitter: "First day of school! #sesamestreet #season48" and ending on December 9.Stephanie D'Abruzzo official site Filming resumed the week of January 30, 2017 and continued through the week of February 27. Episodes Episodes 4801 - 4835 (35 episodes) *Episode 4801 - A Sesame Street Thanksgiving *Episode 4802 - Cinderella's Slippery Slippers *Episode 4803 - Elmo's Nursery Rhyme *Episode 4804 - Rapunzel Gets a Haircut *Episode 4805 - Martian Mission *Episode 4806 - Clothing Drive *Episode 4807 - M is for Mission *Episode 4808 - Abby's Sock Solution *Episode 4809 - Our Family's Way *Episode 4810 - The Last Straw *Episode 4811 *Episode 4812 - Hair Training *Episode 4814 - Chinese New Year *Episode 4816 - Street Food *Episode 4818 - It’s Dance Your Favorite Dance Day *Episode 4821 *Episode 4822 - The Helpful Cloud *Episode 4828 - Oscar the Kind *Episode 4832 - Abby and Zoe Love Karate *Episode 4835 - The Count’s Counting Error Guest stars Guest stars for the season include Leon Bridges, Alessia Cara, Ellie Goulding, Josh Groban, Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez, Padma Lakshmi, John Legend, Lucy Liu, and Kate McKinnon. Ilana Glazer appears in the season as another member of the Noodle Family in "Elmo's World." Cast * Alan: Alan Muraoka * Chris: Chris Knowings * Nina: Suki Lopez * Caroll Spinney as Big Bird and Oscar Sesame Street Muppet™ Performers :Pam Arciero, Billy Barkhurst, Jennifer Barnhart, Tyler Bunch, Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, Frankie Cordero, Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Warrick Brownlow-Pike, Ryan Dillon, Stacey Gordon, Eric Jacobson, Ghazal Javed, John Kennedy, Peter Linz, Boitumelo Maretele, Carmen Osbahr, Martin P. Robinson, David Rudman, Matt Vogel, Bryant Young Credits * Executive Producer: Brown Johnson * Line Producer: Stephanie Longardo * Supervising Producer: Benjamin Lehmann * Coordinating Producer: Mindy Fila * Producer: Karyn Leibovich * Directors: Ken Diego, Jack Jameson, Benjamin Lehmann, Scott Preston, Chuck Vinson, Matt Vogel, Nadine Zylstra, Marilyn Agrelo, Alan Muraoka, Liliana Olszewski * Head Writer: Ken Scarborough * Writers: Molly Boylan, Warrick Brownlow-Pike, Jennifer Capra, Jessica Carleton, Geri Cole, Joe Fallon, Christine Ferraro, Liz Hara, Ron Holsey, Raye Lankford, Benjamin Lehmann, Andrew Moriarty, Max Nicoll, Carol-Lynn Parente, Luis Santeiro, Ken Scarborough, Belinda Ward * Puppets, Costumes, Props: The Jim Henson Company NY Creature Shop - David Bizzaro, Ben Durocher, Victoria Ellis, Liz Hara, Michelle Hickey, John Douglas James, Rollie Krewson, Sarah Lafferty, Lara MacLean, Anney Ozar, Constance Peterson, Kate Rusek, Sierra Schoening, Jessica Simon, Polly Smith, David Valentine, Jason Weber, Stacey Weingarten, Matt Withiam * Music Director: Bill Sherman * Music Coordinator: Tyler Hartman * Music Director - (Vocals): Paul Rudolph * Music Copyist: Joe Fiedler * Music Director - (Arrangements and Orchestrations): Joe Fiedler * Composers: Eli Bolin, Nicholas Dayton, Joe Fiedler, Chris Jackson, Tom Kitt, Tim Kubart, George Noriega, Kathryn Raio, JP Rende, Paul Rudolph, Bill Sherman, Joel Someillan, Sean McPherson, Jake Huffman, Matthew Sklar * Sesame Street Band: Randy Cohen, Michael Croiter, John Deley, Doug Derryberry, Joe Fiedler, Rob Jost, Gary Meyer, Kenny Rampton * Production: Melissa Creighton, Gabriella Degennaro, Joseph Roddy * Associate Producers: Theresa Anderson, Andrew Moriarty * Production Coordinators: Maxwell Nicoll, Kelly Ferrara * Control Room PAs: Christina Elefante, Andrew Moriarty * Production Designer: David Gallo * Prop Coordinator: Keith Olsen * Associate Directors: Frank Campagna, Emily Cohen, Ken Diego, Todd E. James * Script Supervisor: Jennifer Capra * Re-Recording Mixers: Michael Barrett, Dick Maitland, C.A.S * Sound Effects Editor: Dick Maitland, C.A.S * Music Editors: Jorge Muelle, Paul Rudolph * Technical Directors: Tom Guadarrama, Mary Crowley, Manse Sharpe * Cameras: Frank Biondo, Jerry Cancel, Shaun Harkins, Mark Britt, Rich Freedman, Mark Renaudin, Patrick Minietta * Elmo's World Animation: **Producer: Jack Spillum **Creative Director: Ian Chernichaw **Animation Director: Justin Simonich **Lead Designers: Michael Scanlon, Dagan Moriarty **Designers: Jason McDonald, Kip Rathke, Sarah Rebar **Animators: Joe Andriola, Anne Witbeck, H. Stephen Mead, Alex Torres **Animation Editor: Nathaniel Wixon **Compositor: Kat Llewellyn **Production Coordinators: Yuewen Jiang, Tsukasa Nakamori, Kayvalyn Tersch * Senior V.P. of Curriculum & Content: Rosemarie T. Truglio, Ph.D. * Special Thanks To: Definition 6, Hyperactive, Magnetic Dreams, Studio G Brooklyn * Taped at Kaufman Astoria Studios in New York Gallery Season48-Day1.jpg|The set on the first day of shooting Season48-Day2.jpg|The set on the second day of shooting LaurieHernandez.jpg|Laurie Hernandez and Big Bird Season48-Legend.jpg|John Legend and Elmo EllieGoulding.jpg|Ellie Goulding and Elmo PadmaLakshmi.jpg|Padma Lakshmi with Elmo, Cookie Monster and Oscar the Grouch LucyLiu.jpg|top, L-R: Jennifer Barnhart, Lucy Liu, Stephanie D'Abruzzo; bottom L-R: Pam Arciero, Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, Carmen Osbahr alessiacara.jpg|Alessia Cara and Oscar mckinnon-bird.jpg|Kate McKinnon and Big Bird Mckinnon-elmo.jpg|Kate McKinnon and Elmo Simonsoundmanseason48.JPG|Simon Soundman SS48-Rocket.jpg|The Count in a rocket SS48-Astronaut.jpg|An astronaut on Sesame Street Groban-Sesame.jpg|Josh Groban and Cookie Monster Sources External links *"Sesame Street: A Brand New Season" (highlight reel) *Season 48 Press Kit *Sesame Workshop press release *The Guardian: "How the new season of Sesame Street stands up against racial hatred" 48